15 - Seeking Solace
by kaahiescheck
Summary: Just a little sneak-peek into the Potters' life while they were hiding. Sweet and dramatic, with little Harry's participation.


**For how long was I absent? Oh, scratch that. I don't even wanna know. It's been a _good while_, guys.**

**I was piled with homework and studying and extra classes and everything, and couldn't find the time to sit down and think of a good one-shot, since my last one was a bit crappy. But then this guy I was texting turned out to be a total jerk and he apparently thought he hadn't done anything wrong, which made me _very _angry. Since he lives 9600km away, I can't really slap him, so a one-shot was born!**

**Don't worry, I didn't pour out my anger here. I chose James and Lily and little Harry because they're so cute that I can distract myself writing about them.**

**I hope you like it!**

* * *

Lily Potter closed her book and put it aside. Truth be told, the story was fascinating, but she couldn't read it anymore. When she caught herself going back to the beginning of the page because she'd lost herself in thought for the fifth time, she gave up. She had done the same thing with the four previous books she'd tried to distract herself with, to no avail. Her mind kept going back to the horror of her situation.

She hadn't left the house in months, which was saying something. Lily hated being useless, although she understood why she couldn't put a foot out of their cottage. She'd been confined indoors ever since her pregnancy reached the fourth month – she could still walk around fine, but James had been on the verge of a lash out, which is why she had stopped arguing with him and didn't go on missions for the Order any longer.

Then again, neither did he now. In a way, it was comforting having him with her at all times, but that only showed the gravity of the war. Dumbledore would have never locked James up as well if the old wizard didn't think it was absolutely necessary.

Sometimes Lily wanted to argue with her old headmaster. Soon, though, she would shake away those thoughts, reminding herself that it was for _Harry's_ sake, and nothing else in the world could be more important to her than keeping her son alive and away from Voldemort. Thinking like that kept her under control up to a point. Then she'd remember that, duh, if they had to hide from Voldemort, it meant Voldemort wanted to kill them – to kill Harry.

Staying home for so long was really getting to Lily's head. It was frustrating.

Lily got up and stretched her numb limps. It reminded her of when she was pregnant, how much her whole body hurt. She'd thought that after having Harry her muscles would slowly go back to normal, but, since she couldn't exercise much inside the house, the soreness had never completely gone away.

Making her way up the stairs, she tried to think of something to do; _anything_ that could distract her mind from the horrible thoughts of what was going on the battlefield, if her friends were alive, if they were okay. Sirius always tried to underplay the whole thing when he stopped by to update them, and Lily always yelled at him to tell her the truth as it was. She knew, she could see it written on his face, just how bad things were even before Sirius opened his mouth.

Lily leaned against the doorframe of Harry's room, wrapping her arms around herself. James was seated on the big armchair by the crib, intently watching their son as he slept in his arms, peaceful and oblivious to the chaos the world was facing outside their little cottage. James looked up when he felt Lily coming and tried to smile – that's what he always did. It was in the Potters' blood to have a natural charm and sense of humour. However, as of now, Lily could tell the once head prankster of Hogwarts was having trouble keeping up a light mood, even if he was trying for her sake.

"Are you sure this is my son?" James asked, this time with a real smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Before Lily could frown, he went on. "Mom used to say I was the devil. Every time she wanted to put me to sleep, she had to prepare herself for a two-hour effort until I fell asleep, only to wake up thirty minutes later."

Lily was able to crack a smile as she made her way towards him, seating on the arm of the chair and brushing Harry's already long hair out of his closed eyelids. "If it weren't for the hair, I'd say you have reason to worry. But if you think of it, Sirius also has a long, dark hair."

James wrapped his free arm around Lily and pinched her side playfully. Harry stirred in his sleep from the sudden movement, and Lily took him from her husband, placing him on his crib and wrapping him in blankets. When she turned around, she found James pouting adorably and couldn't supress a giggle. James's pout grew bigger, and Lily went back to him, sitting on his lap and resting her head on his shoulder like she was the baby now, her legs hanging from the side of the armchair.

The spark of good mood died as soon as it started, as usual. Lily sighed deeply as she felt James's arms enveloping her protectively. He caressed her back gently, wordlessly knowing what was going through her mind. He planted a kiss on the top of her head and whispered into her hair, "Dumbledore knows what he's doing. You don't have to worry about it so much."

Her hands closed in fists around his sweater. "I can't even read."

"I know, love," James kept pecking her hair as he talked. "But the more you think about it, the worse it is."

"I j-just…" Lily's voice cracked a bit. She forced herself to take a deep breath. "I can't stand sitting around in the house while our friends are risking their lives. People are dying all the time, and one of them could be next. And Remus…"

"I know, I know," James kept whispering and caressing her.

"What did Sirius even mean by that?" Lily sat up and faced James. "He can't _honestly_ think that–"

"He can't think. Period," James interrupted. "Sirius is slowly losing the ability to be rational, which worries me deeply. But Remus _is_ acting very odd, _when_ he shows up."

Lily's face closed in a harsh expression. "He isn't a spy! He's one of your best friends, for God's sake! He'd never do anything… _anything_ to hurt people. You know how he's like, James. He's the sweetest person there could be."

"_You_ are sweeter, I have to add," he tucked a strand of her dark red hair behind her ear. "And I'm not saying he's a spy. I trust Dumbledore. Sirius is just…" James sighed. "Watching his so called family murder people he cares about must mess with a bloke's head. Take it easy on him. He's under a lot of stress."

"As long as he doesn't get himself killed…"

James grimaced, as if he'd been thinking exactly about that. Lily rested her head on his shoulder again and ran her hand over his chest absentmindedly. It was only obvious James would be more lucid than her; he'd spent less time locked up. But ever since Dumbledore had told them Voldemort might come after Harry, they both had been on the edge. A simple drop of rain hitting the ceiling would make them jump, with their wands ready.

"I just wish we weren't in this uncertainty all the time," Lily commented. "I want to _know_."

"Come on," James said, raising her from him. "Let's make some tea."

Having said that, he forced her to get up with him, and held her in place for a moment. They both looked down at Harry sleeping, so young and innocent to be a target, and sighed. Lily turned her eyes back to James's face, causing his eyes to go back to hers. A little smile played at her lips when she said, "He's a mini you."

The familiar cocky grin spread across James's face as he bent down to kiss her. "I know."


End file.
